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Phil Steele releases 2012 preseason All-Big Ten Team

By Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor -
3 years ago

When Phil Steele posts anything about college football, people read it and respect it. His 2012 Preaseason All-Big Ten Team is no exception. Steele released his Big Ten and SEC preseason teams Wednesday, and you can see them here. Two-time reigning Big Ten champ Wisconsin boasts the most first-team honorees (7), while Michigan State features the most overall honorees (16).

INSTANT REACTIONBiggest omission: James Vandenberg, QB, Iowa – It’s hard to believe there are four quarterbacks better than Vandenberg, the conference’s best pure QB. The senior should be throwing a lot, and he’ll compile numbers worthy of All-Big Ten honors.

Honored, but not high enough: Le’Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State – Steele has him as a third-teamer, along with Ohio State’s Jordan Hall, but he very well could be the Big Ten’s best running back not named Montee Ball.

Dominant defense: We all know Michigan State’s defense is going to be scary, but Steele has six Spartans on his first- or second-team defenses. That’s an unbelievable number, and it includes a trio of second-team linebackers. It’s going to be fun to watch this unit.

Another long season: Indiana and Minnesota struggled last year, no doubt about it, and it could be more of the same this year. Steele only has four Hoosiers on his four teams, the highest Kofi Hughes, a third-team wide receiver, and two Gophers, both being Troy Stoudermire, a fourth-team cornerback and kick returner.

Brent Yarina is a web editor and blogger for BTN.com. Find all of his work here and follow him on twitter at @BTNBrentYarina.

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2 Comments

Brent, good point on Vandenberg. I guess not being a dual threat QB is a negative as far as Steele is concerned. Braxton Miller better than Vandenberg? Not a chance. I’d also have JV higher than Martinez, but not Denard.